Lightning Stroke. Electric Shock. 83 



dark bluish black color, and at intervals are points, spots and 

 patches of blood extravasation. The uniformly liquid state of 

 the blood is one of the most marked phenomena of death from 

 electricity. The dark blue congestion of the radical veins is also 

 very pathognomonic, the part struck or traversed by the main 

 current, being the seat of the most elaborate arborescent network. 

 This arborescent appearance of the dark colored veins, and the 

 petechise are often marked in the internal organs (brain, kidneys 

 liver, lungs). 



Diagnosis. The environment of the animal will often clear the 

 diagnosis. The patient is found helpless, or dead under a tree 

 by a pole, or under a hanging wire, and if a tree there are evi- 

 dences of the electric shock in scattered leaves and branches, 

 stripping off of the bark, or perhaps rending of the tree in pieces. 

 In case of wires attached to or passing near such a tree, the sup- 

 porting poles show similar splitting and rending. Add to these 

 the fluidity of blood in the carcase, the thickly ramifying network 

 of the minute dark bluish, red veins, the petechise and the com- 

 parative absence of cadaveric rigidity, and we have a picture very 

 significant of lightning stroke. 



Treatment in such cases is according to the condition. The 

 primary unconsciousness is met by inhalations of ammonia or 

 ether, or the injection of brandy or alcohol subcutem. Caffein, 

 atropine or hyoscyamin may be used as substitutes. If conscious- 

 ness returns recovery is usually rapid and complete. Should 

 paresis or paralysis remain it must be treated like any ordinary 

 case of these affections. 



